Manchester City defeat Nottingham Forest to reach FA Cup final.
Manchester City displayed their big-game pedigree, comfortably defeating a unlucky Nottingham Forest to reach a third consecutive FA Cup final.Pep Guardiola’s side will face Crystal Palace at Wembley on May 17, while also relinquishing their four-year Premier League title hold after Liverpool secured the crown with a win over Tottenham on Sunday.
From the start, Manchester City dominated, with Mateo Kovacic setting up 20-year-old Rico Lewis for a precise finish just two minutes in. Forest struggled to settle, and City continued to create chances, including a miss from Omar Marmoush and a wayward shot from Nico O’Reilly.Forest nearly equalised early in the second half, but Anthony Elanga’s miss from close range proved costly. Six minutes later, Manchester City doubled their lead when Josko Gvardiol powered home a header from Marmoush’s corner.
Manchester City set to face Crystal Palace at Wembley.
Forest will lament their misfortune after hitting the woodwork three times, but it’s Pep Guardiola’s side that will face Crystal Palace in the final on May 17, with the chance to lift the trophy for a second time in three years. Despite Forest’s efforts — including three shots that hit the woodwork — including a stunning volley from Morgan Gibbs-White and a post-hit from Taiwo Awoniyi — they couldn’t find a way back. City sealed their Wembley return after a dominant display. As red smoke filled Anfield and Arne Slot’s side sealed their 20th top-flight title, Manchester City turned their focus to another prize after their Premier League reign ended.
Ahead of the semi-final, Pep Guardiola admitted the season had fallen short, despite securing a top-five finish and reaching the FA Cup final.Manchester City will return to the capital next month for a 29th time since 2007 — one shy of Chelsea’s record — with a chance to salvage a disappointing domestic and Champions League campaign by ending on a high with silverware.
High ticket prices left many City fans absent at Wembley, but those who attended, including chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, celebrated another big-stage victory.City have faced Manchester United in the final twice recently, but made history by becoming the first English side to reach three consecutive finals in both the FA Cup and League Cup.
With a place in next season’s Champions League within reach, they have enjoyed a remarkable season and their expectant fans packed the east half of Wembley, singing boss Nuno’s name loudly before kick-off. But it fell flat thereafter.Injuries and suspension meant 18-year-old defender Zach Abbott was handed just his third Forest appearance, but the defeat meant Nuno missed out on becoming just the second Portuguese manager – after Jose Mourinho – to reach an FA Cup final.
The two-time winners, last triumphing back in 1959, had their opportunities to recover from a lacklustre first-half display, but were unable to make their numerous gilt-edged chances count. Elanga should have levelled seconds after coming on as a substitute, while on another day, efforts from Gibbs-White and Awoniyi could all have gone in to turn the game around. But Forest could not breach Ortega’s goal and their despondent players now have to focus on the remaining five Premier League matches to finish in the top five and claim a deserved Champions League spot for next season.
